Apparatus for shuffling playing-cards.



J. F. HANSEN.

APPARATUS FOR SEIUFFLING PLAYING CARDS. I APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1910. RENEWED r313. 20, 1912.

1,043,925. v Patented Nov. 12,1912.

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JOHAN FREDERIK HANSEN, OF COPENHAGEN, DENMARK.

APPARATUS FOR SHUFFLING PLAYING-CARDS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHAN FREDERIK Hansen, manufacturer, and a resident of Copenhagen, Denmark, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Shuflling Playing-Cards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for shuffling cards in which the cards are placed in two packs into card receivers or chutes and the apparatus then set in motion, thus shuflling the cards.

The chief object is to provide a means for shufiiing the cards that will prevent all stacking of the cards.

Other objects are to simplify and perfect such devices.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view in side elevation of a device embodying my inven tion; Fig. 2 represents a top plan view of the same; F ig. 3 represents a vertical sectional view in end elevation of the same, showing the position occupied by the bar 20, rod 19 and lever 18 in their normal position in solid lines and their positions while in operation at the end of their movement, in dotted lines; and Fig. 4 represents a detail view of the axle 10.

l is a rectangular box or receptacle made of any suitable material and provided with an inclined bottom which slants or inclines toward the lever 14 in the front of the box.

4 designates two depressible bars pivoted at 3 to the sides of the box, near the rear thereof, and supporting the slide 5 having a pair of racks 8 on its upper face at its side edges.

2 designates two semi-elliptical springs, mounted on blocks 27 fastened to the sides of, and within, the said box, and engaging with their upturned ends the bars 4 (see Fig. 1) thus pushing or forcing said bars upward and thus, the slide 5 and racks 8 being mounted on said bars, the racks 8 will be pressed against the axle 10.

6 and 7 designate two chutes which receive each one of two approximately equal parts ofthe pack of cards to be shuflied, said chutes being mounted on top of said box with their lower ends just behind the inclined planes 11 and 12 respectively. Said chutes are also provided with means of adjusting their breadth to the'size of card to be shuffled.

The slide 5 above mentioned is slidably Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 11, 1910, Serial No. 548,608. Renewed February 20, 1912.

Patented Nov. 12, 1912.

Serial No. 678,956.

mounted on bars 4 and provided with two downwardly and forwardly inclined planes 11 and 12, the plane 12 being much the longer and less steeply inclined. Said slide 5 is further provided with an aperture just in front of the top of inclined plane 12 of sufficient breadth to permit the passage of a playing card, said slide being so arranged that the upper edges of the inclined planes are just about the thickness of a card in advance of the forward inside'edge of said chutes. The purpose of having the plane 12 of greater length and less steeply inclined than plane 11 is to provide for better intermingling or shufliing of the cards and better collecting and piling of the same as they drop and slide off of the planes.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the slide 5 is nothing more than a false or sliding bottom for the chutes 6 and 7.

13 designates two strips of rubber or other suitable material secured to said slide, one at the top of each of the planes, their purpose being to prevent too many cards passing out of the chutes at once.

8 designates two racks, one mounted on each side of the top of slide 5 and engaged alternately for reciprocating said slide, by teeth 10 near each end of axle 10 which is turned by a hand-wheel 9.

14 designates a lever for pushing the shuffled cards out of the opening 29 in the opposite side of the box (see Fig. 3) for pulling the slide 5 back into its normal position and for operating on lever 18. Said lever 14 is pivoted on a pivot 15 mounted in bearings 28, which are mounted on the side of said box 1 (see Fig. 3). In order that this lever may operate to pull the slide back to its former position, the lower end of this lever is connected by a cord 16 which passes through an eye 25 in the forward part of the inside of the bottom of said box and around a pin26 mounted on top of depressor bar 21 nearest said lever 14, to said slide. This cord is just long enough to make con nection between said lever and slide when said lever is in its normal position, (shown in solid lines in Fig. 3) andwill pull the slide 5 forward upon being moved as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The slide 5 above referred to can be moved only in one direction while the racks and axle are in engagement, it is therefore necessary to disengage these parts to return the slide to its normal position.

Lever 18 above referred to is 'pivotally mounted at 30 on the inside of the front of the box, having one end pivoted between the sides or forks of a split or forked block 32 at 31 and its other end free extending slightly upward and toward lever 14. 33 designates a block secured to the inside of the front of said box about one third of its height from the top, said block being provided with a vertical hole for the passage of rod 19 (see Figs. '1 and The rod 19 passes through bar 20, through block 33 and is provided on its lower end with the block 32 firmly secured thereto, its head fitting against the top of bar 20 for depressing the same. 22 designates a 1101i cal spring mounted on said rod 19 between bar 20 and block 33 for keeping said bar in its normal position (see Figs. 1 and 21 designates two depressor bars, each rigidly connected to said bar 20 near its ends and extending from it toward the rear of the box in a horizontal plane. These bars 21 extend over the forward loose ends of the bars 4 and move rigidly with the bar 20.

17 designates a pin mounted on the lever 14 in position to engage the under side of the free part of lever 13 to turn this lever on its pivot as the lever 14 is moved to eject the cards and pull the slide 5 back into its normal position. 34 designates a groove slanting slightly and extending about two thirds the way across the front part of he bottom of said box (see Fig. 2). The lower end of lever 14 works in this groove, the slant being for the purpose of moving the pin slightly to the side as it approaches the rod 19.

23 designates a. spring of medium strength mounted in block 24 at the rear of the inside of box 1 and bearing against the rear edge of slide 5, resisting the backward or rearward motion of the same when shuffiing cards, this resistance giving the slide 5 a shaking motion which greatly increases the efliciency of the device.

341 designates two false sides, one provided for each of the chutes 6 and 7 (see Fig. 2). These false sides are provided with handles 35 which work through pen forations in the sides of said chutes and they are slidable or adjustable across said chutes. Their object is to provide means for reducing the breadth of the card receiving space, thatis, to provide means for adjusting the card receiving space according to the size of the cards to be shuffled.

The operation is as follows: The pack of cards is divided into two approximately equal parts, these parts are inserted into the two chutes, the receiving space is then adjusted by means of the false sides, the handwheel then turned gradually opening the bottom of the chutes against the slight resistance of spring 23 which resistance gives a shaking motion and helps in shaking the cards out of the chutes one or two at a time. When all the cards have passed out of the chutes down the inclined planes to the forward part of the inclined bottom the lever 14 is turned on its pivot to eject the cards. In doing so its pin 17 engages and turns the lever 18 which in turn pulls on the rod 19 and depresses bar 20. Bar 20, through depressor bars 21 depresses the ends of bars 1, thereby releasing or disengaging the racks S from the teeth 10 of the axle 10. The continued turning of this lever 11 on its pivot, acting through cord 16, attached to the lower end of this lever and the forward edge of said slide 5, pulls the slide forward to its normal position, this lever is then swung back to its normal position by means of the spring acting to force up bar 20 and spring 2 acting to force up bars 1' and through them and the depressor bars 21, the bar 20. The bar 20 being forced up pulls with it the rod 19, which pulls up the split block 32 in which said lever 18 is pivoted. The pulling up of this block will pull up the pivoted end of lever 18 and turn said lever 18 on its pivot 30 thereby forcing lever 14-,through engagement with pin 17 back to its normal position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Two card receivers discharging through their lower ends for shuffling the cards, in combination with a common receptacle below them, a slide normally closing the lower ends of said receivers, gearing partly carried by said slide for moving the latter horizontally, depressible means of support for said slide and means for depressing said means of support, the depression of said means serving to disconnect the said gearing substantially as set forth.

2. Two card receivers discharging through their lower ends for shufiiing the cards in combination with a slide closing them against discharge, gearing in part carried by said slide for horizontally moving the same, depressible bars on which said slide is supported, the depression of which disconnects the said gearing, means for depressing said bars and means for restoring said slide to its former position substantially as set forth.

3. Two card receivers discharging through their lower ends for shuffling the cards, a slide for closing said lower ends, racks on said slide, rotary cog teeth engaging said racks to move said slide in one horizontal direction, means for moving said slide in the reverse direction. depressible bars supporting said slide and disconnecting said racks from said rotary cog-teeth when said bars are depressed, means for depressmg said bars and means for restoring said bars slide and rack to their normal position substantially as set forth.

a. In apparatus for shuffling playing cards, the combination of two chute-like receptacles for receiving each approximately one-half of a pack of cards to be shuflied, two depressible supporting bars, means for depressing said bars, asliding plate supported by said bars normally closing the lower ends of said receptacles, slidable into positions in which it uncovers said lower ends, two racks on said sliding plate, an axle operated by a handwheel, and two teeth on said axle, each normally engaging one of said racks, whereby when said handwheel is rotated, said sliding plate allows one or a few cards to pass at a time from each of said chute-like receptacles as set forth.

5. In apparatus for shufliing playing cards, the combination of two-chute-like receptacles for receiving each approximately one-half of a pack of cards to be shuttled, two depressible supporting bars, means for depressing said bars, a sliding plate supported by said bars and normally closing the lower ends of said receptacles, slidable into posit-ions in which it uncovers said lower ends, two racks on said sliding plate, an axle operated by a handwheel, and two teeth on said axle each normally engaging one of said racks, springs normally pressing said supporting bars against said sliding plate, whereby the racks on said sliding-plate are normally kept in engagement with the teeth on said axle, as set forth.

6. In apparatus for shuttling playing cards, the combination of two chute-like receptacles for receiving each approximately onehalf of a pack of cards to be shuffled, two depressible supporting bars, means for depressing said bars, a sliding plate supported by said bars and normally closing the lower ends of said receptacles, slidable into positions in which it uncovers said lower ends,

two racks on said sliding plate, an axle op erated by a handwheel, and two teeth on said axle, each normally engaging one of said racks, springs normally pressing said supporting bars against said sliding plate, whereby the racks on said sliding plate are normally kept in engagement with the teeth on said axle, a handle, means connecting said handle with said sliding plate and means connecting said handle with said supporting bars, whereby on operating said handle, said supporting bars can be depressed to disengage the racks on said sliding plate from the teeth on said axle, so as to allow said sliding plate to be drawn by the operation of said handle into its normal position, in which it closes the lower ends of said receptacles, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In apparatus for shufiiing playing cards, the combination of two chute-like receptacles for receiving each approximately one-half of a pack of cards to be shuflied, two depressible supporting bars, means for depressing said bars, a sliding plate supported by said bars and normally closing the lower ends of said receptacles, slidable into positions in which it uncovers said lower ends, two racks on said sliding plate, an axle operated by a handwheel, and. two teeth on said axle each normally engaging one of said racks, and a spring located behind said sliding plate having a tendency to oppose the outward movement of said sliding plate, whereby the latter receives a jolt ing motion that facilitates the descent of the cards, as set forth.

Signed at Copenhagen, this 25 day of February, 1910.

JOHAN FREDERIK HANSEN.

Witnesses L. ScHt'IoM KNUT, A. M. HELD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

